Heart Problems or Infection from MJ?

[Woolygimp]

This may be a little out there but I'm trying to find a few answers.  I've never been a drug user and haven't had any alcohol in years, but I did start smoking marijuana occasionally in the last few months.  A few weeks ago, I had an acute "attack" that happened hours after I had smoked some marijuana.

I felt extreme myalgia, weakness, muscle pain, confusion, nausea, and noticable shortness of breath.  This lasted for over two weeks, so it wasn't anxiety caused by the THC.  This spurred a trip to the ER and to another research hospital.  They thought it was probably food poisoning but they really weren't all that sure.  My BP was 120/80 90% of the time they took it, but occasionally... (3x while I was there) it had dropped to 80/55.   They ran a ton of tests for cancer and stuff, because of the weight loss, but I don't think I was ever hooked up to an EKG.

I felt better after about a week and a half and was released. 

I came home, was feeling pretty good... and about four days ago I smoked again.  Just a couple hours after smoking, it felt like my heart was racing and skipping... and I felt really, really out of it.  Only I couldn't go to sleep because I'd wake up after 15 minutes feeling like my heart was skipping beats.  I finally started feeling a little better after a few days, but I still feel horrible.  Just not as horrible.  The feeling of my heart skipping beats passed after the initial few hours.

It basically feels like I have the flu, but I don't have a fever, my skin is clammy and cold, I am sweating a lot (when I take Evoxac), I have really bad weakness, shortness of breath, nausea when I eat, loss of appetite, etc.   It's been four days and I still feel like this, although I feel a tad bit better every day.

Now, I'd normally think that maybe there's something in the stuff like mold or a chemical, and I'll never smoke again, but I'd have expected it to take a couple days of incubation if I was getting infected from the stuff.  It happening so soon after smoking is making me think that I might have heart problems and the weed is exacerbating it or causing even a heart attack or fibrillation.  Heart problems are common in pSS.

I already have an appt. at Mayo early next week but regardless, I'm still very worried.  I still feel weak, I still feel nauseas, I still have a slight shortness of breath.  If I had a cough/sore throat, I'd be sure this was the flu because it's exactly how I feel, but again no fever.  I don't even know what to think at this point.  If this is a heart problem is there anything I should be on the lookout for?

Should I go to urgent care tomorrow just to get it checked out?  I'm 25 and I know very little about heart problems, although heart disease does sort of run in the family.  My pulse feels normal now and everything and I don't want to get too worried if it's nothing... and this could just be a virus.   

[jazzlover]

It could be interacting with your medications. Or, as you said, you may have a heart issue. At any rate, I hope you never try it again.

It also may be taxing your liver .. hence the nausea, etc.

As for going to Urgent Care... might be  a good idea if you're not feeling any better tomorrow. Hope you feel better soon!

[Woolygimp]

Yeah, just on the basis that mj blocks the parasympathetic nervous system and I'm taking an parasympathetic antagonist (evoxac) probably isn't the brightest idea.

If I did have heart problems a few days ago, would they still be able to tell?  I think I remember hearing that they can tell if someone has had a heart attack recently...
and urgent care would have all the necessary equipment to do this testing, right?  EKGs, etc.?

It's been years since I've had my heart checked so I think I owe it to myself just to be safe in any case.

Just don't want to waste time in UC if they don't have what is needed to check.  We have a few hospitals around too, anyway..

[jazzlover]

Not sure they can do the enzyme test to see if you've had a heart attack. They MAY have checked you for that in the hospital??? Atrial fibrillation would be more likely .. at least in my non-medical mind. I do have A-fib.

A UC should have an EKG.

[Woolygimp]

I have noticed a really weird pulse, where my heart goes... dum dum (then completely stops beating) then DUM, then dum dum dum really quick.  My pulse is steady again now, but the day I smoked and the few days afterwards... my pulse was all over the place.  It feels like it's fluttering at times.

I'm probably just worrying too much.

[jazzlover]

Pretty scary!!

[irish]

woolygimp, Why don't you not smoke any marajuna again and see if this problem occurs. It is very possible that you are having an untoward reaction to the marajuna and your body is telling you to not do it anymore.

I guess I would think that after smoking marajuna 2 times and having the same thing happen that the the third time you may not be around to tell us about it. I know that people want to believe that marajuna is safe, but it is a drug and sometimes they can cause issues.  Irish

[eyeamdry]

I "tried" MJ ONE time and my heartbeat went wacko and up to 300 bpm.  You can bet I never tried it again.  Not even once.  That was more than 30 years ago.  The one time scared the pants off me.  I learn quickly.  Leave it alone.l  Lucy

[mshistory]

I don't know much about marijuana but I do know I have heard that these days, it's almost always sold with all sorts of chemicals and fillers in it - even if just the plant itself were safe to smoke, whatever they're adding to it is not. Think of all the chemicals and carcinogens that are added to cigarettes!

I would definitely ditch the marijuana - and if you are already on Plaquenil, smoking can negate the benefits of the medication.

Good luck with your upcoming appointment at the Mayo clinic!

[harrigan]

I can't think of a single benefit of smoking any substance that isn't outweighed by the harmful side-effects - particularly Marijuana, where a single use can lead to psychotic episodes in later life. 

Life is hard enough Woolygimp - get some decent pain relief from your Dr and find healthy ways to relax xx Ailsa

[jazzlover]

I "tried" MJ ONE time and my heartbeat went wacko and up to 300 bpm.  You can bet I never tried it again.

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Yikes .. good to know since I already have heart problems. I've never tried the stuff and I went to college in the early 70's... the hippie generation. Glad I passed on being a hippie.